Illinois State Officials remind motorists to obey the Move Over Law

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) is urging motorists to respect the Move Over Law and to use caution when approaching stationary authorized emergency vehicles displaying flashing lights or any other emergency equipment on the interstates and roads.

The Move Over Law (Scott’s Law) was enacted in 2002 in memory of Lieutenant Scott Gillen of the Chicago Fire Department who was struck and killed on December 23, 2000, by an intoxicated driver on the Dan Ryan Expressway while assisting at a crash scene.  The law requires motorists to yield to emergency vehicles, including highway maintenance vehicles displaying oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights. 

Governor Rauner acknowledged the Move Over Law in a Proclamation signed on December 21, 2015. The Proclamation coupled with HB 246 initiated by State Representative Brian Stewart underscores the importance of the Mover Over Law.? “Illinois emergency and highway workers are continuously exposed to the dangers of being hit by motorists,” said Governor Bruce Rauner. “The Move Over Law is critical to the preservation of the lives of our public servants and the safety of all motorists. It is my hope that through education and enforcement, motorists will use caution, slow down and move over when approaching stationary emergency vehicles.”

Most recently, a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) driver failed to move over and caused a fiery crash on I-88 near Aurora killing 39-year-old Tollway worker Vincent Petrella and severely injuring ISP District 15 Trooper Douglas Balder. This crash has become part of an alarming series of incidents involving CMVs striking ISP, Illinois Department of Transportation and other emergency vehicles.  In recent years ISP Troopers James Sauter and Kyle Deatherage were also killed by CMV drivers violating the Move Over Law.

“Illinois State Police troopers will aggressively enforce the Move Over Law to protect first responders and highway workers on Illinois roadways,” said ISP Director Leo Schmitz. “The Move Over Law is designed to protect motorists and emergency workers by reducing the likelihood of a preventable tragedy from occurring.” 

The Move Over Law requires drivers to change lanes (if safe to do so) or reduce speed and proceed with caution when approaching a stationary emergency vehicle displaying flashing warning lights. Violators of Illinois’ Move Over Law can be fined not less than $100 or more than $10,000 and have their driver’s license suspended for up to two years if the violation involves injury to another. 

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